“Interesting. What else do you do? That pays the rent for your office, but what do you do in the office?”
She grinned. “I give psychic readings. Look into people’s psyches to help them figure out what makes them tick. What their true desires are. Would you like me to read you?”
“I’ll pass.” He was fucked up in a hundred-fifty different ways, and if she looked into his soul, she’d probably bolt for the door and never look back.
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you sure? Most people jump on that offer.”
“Every romance needs a little mystery, don’t you think?”
“I guess you’re right.” She pushed off the door frame and stepped toward him. “I’m also an energy worker. A healer.”
He furrowed his brow as he tried to comprehend what she was saying. “You mean witch doctor stuff?”
She laughed. “No, I’m not any kind of doctor. I work to unblock people’s energy, get it flowing again to speed up the healing process. I practice a form of energy healing called Reiki. It's very common in Japan.”
She never stopped surprising him. He walked to her and swept her up in his arms. “You are truly an amazing woman, Allison.”
“I guess. But in answer to your question…I don’t have premonitions. Not in dreams like you’re talking about.”
He slid his hands down her arms and laced his fingers through hers. “That wasn’t exactly my question. I think I have them. Well, some of my dreams come true. And lately I’ve been having the same one over and over again.”
“Really? Will you tell me about it?”
Christ, what was he doing? He didn’t tell anyone about his visions. Not even Trent or his sister. And now this woman comes along, whom he’s only known for a few days, and he’s ready to tell her everything. Well, almost everything.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he did it. He told her about the dreams. About the woman in white diving out the window when he tells her he loves someone else. He told her everything, except the part about both women in the dream being her. That was something he’d have to mull over for a while before he shared it.
Allison looked at him sincerely. She didn’t laugh or order him out the door, like he was afraid of. “That’s interesting. She said she was your wife?”
“Yeah.”
“And that’s why you never let anyone get close to you. Because you’re afraid if you let someone love you, and you get married, she’ll end up killing herself.” She said it as a matter of fact, though he’d never said it outright. God, this woman knew him already.
He half-smiled and gave her an apologetic shrug. “Pretty crazy, huh?”
“Not really. A premonition like that would be terrifying, and it’s a natural reaction to try and keep it from happening. But sometimes visions aren’t literal.”
“What do you mean?”
“It could be symbolic of something. Overcoming fears, letting go of something that you’ve held on to for way too long. It could mean a lot of things.”
“Or it could mean I’m going to cheat on my wife, and she’s going to kill herself over it.” He sat on the bed and put his head in his hands.
“That’s always a possibility. But not very likely. You don’t strike me as the cheating type.” She perched on the edge of the bed and put her arm around him. The warmth of her touch relaxed the tension from his muscles, and for a moment, he started to believe her.
“I’ve been having this dream for years. I can’t let go of it that easily.”
“I understand. But why do you think she called you Alex?”
“I don’t know. It’s my middle name. My dad tried to get me to go by Alex when we went into business together. He said people would respect me more if I had a common name.”
“But you didn’t go for that?”
“No, it’s ridiculous. I’ve been Logan all my life. I’m not going to change my name just because he thinks it would be better for business.”
She sighed as she rubbed her hand across his back. “So, where does this leave us? If you really believe your vision is literal, what are we going to do?”
He looked into her eyes. “I like you, Allison. A lot. But…”
“But you don’t want me jumping out of a window over you.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, then. Why don’t you go home and think about it for a while? Give it a day or two for it all to soak in, and then decide if you want to see me again.”
“I do want to see you again. Again and again. I just don’t…”
She put her hand on his cheek. “It’s okay, Logan. Fear is a very powerful emotion. Believe me, I know. I don’t think your vision is literal, but it’s your vision. And if you think it is, then you have to deal with it. I can’t make up your mind for you.”
“Have I told you what an amazing woman you are?”
She grinned. “A few times. Now go home and think about it, and come see me when you decide what you’re going to do.”
She walked with him through the living room and opened the door. His heart slammed into his throat as he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. He didn’t want to leave. She was the most incredible woman he’d ever met, and he was about to walk out, with no promise of coming back. He was insane for leaving her, but the fear was too strong.
She pulled away from his embrace and kissed him on the cheek. “Goodbye, Logan.”
* * *
Allison closed the door and leaned her back against it. What the hell was she doing? She was falling for Logan. Falling hard, and she just let him walk away. She told him to leave. A small part of her secretly hoped he wouldn’t come back. Then she could go back to life as usual and not have to worry about getting close to a man. But that was a very small part. The rest of her ached to be in his arms again. To feel his tender touch and his not-so-tender kisses.
Tears welled in her eyes, and she ran to the bathroom to blot them away. She’d made a promise to Lucia, and she intended to keep it. She had to get ready for work, but putting makeup on a tear-streaked face wasn’t easy.
“Get it together, Allison,” she told her reflection. “You’re twenty-eight years old; you don’t cry over boys.”
She managed to dry her tears enough to apply a little makeup and be on her way to the antique store. The short drive seemed to take forever as she tried to clear her mind and stop thinking about Logan. She pulled into the back parking lot and took a few deep, cleansing breaths before going inside.
“Allison, you look radiant today.” Lucia stood in the store room labeling her pieces for the auction. “Your afternoon off was good?”
She smiled, and blood rushed to her cheeks as she thought about her night with Logan. “Let me go put my purse up, and I’ll tell you all about it.” She dropped her things off in her office, and when she returned to the store room, Lucia looked at her with a knowing smile.
“You saw him last night.”
She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “How could you tell?”
Lucia laughed. “It does not take a psychic to see you’re glowing. What happened?”
“It was kind of a chance meeting. I ran into him while I was out jogging, and he came home with me.”
Lucia put the last tag on her auction items and dusted off her hands. “You had a good time, yes?”
“It was amazing. He is amazing.” She rubbed the goose bumps on her arms. Just thinking about him made her heart race and her palms sweat.
Oh, yeah. She had it bad.
“I’m so happy for you, dear. When are you going to see him again?”
“I don’t know, Lucia. I just don’t know.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Logan parked in his garage but went around to the front door, avoiding the kitchen entirely. It would take the ghost busters another day or so to go over all their evidence, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with the spirit.
He turned the lock and pushed open the door. “Just leave me alone, okay? I’m going to sho
wer and change, and then I’ll be out of here.”
His heart sprinted as he jogged up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door behind him. Not that a closed door would stop a ghost.
Shit. This is ridiculous. He shouldn’t have to be afraid in his own home. He peeled off his dirty clothes and put them in the hamper before getting into the shower. His ritual immediately relaxed him, clearing his mind of thoughts about the ghost and allowing him to focus on the more important issue—Allison.
What the hell was he going to do about Allison? Maybe he should tell her everything. She’d been accepting of him so far; she might not think he was a freak. Hell, she might even be able to help him. But did he want to risk it? What if the vision really was literal? He’d be signing her death warrant if he pursued a relationship with her.
How could it be literal, though? If Allison represented both women in the dream, it couldn’t possibly be. But what could it mean? His shoulders tensed in frustration as he shut off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. He could see where he was headed, and he didn’t have time for another episode.
He flipped on the light to his walk-in closet and relaxed a little more with the order of his organization. His clothes were arranged by color, with shirts on the left and pants on the right. He picked up a pair of black slacks and a lavender dress shirt. The same color Allison had worn the night before.
Who was he kidding? He couldn’t stay away from that woman.
He made it out of the house without a sign from the ghost and went back to work where he had some control. Order and control kept him sane. He spent the morning alone in his office researching potential investments, but staying focused was easier said than done. His thoughts kept drifting to Allison’s soft skin. The way she felt pressed against his body. A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about the way she teased him when he was on the phone with Trent.
A knock on the door brought him back to the present, but he was still smiling when Trent walked in the room.
He paused in the doorway and shook his head. “I’ve got some bad news for you, man.”
“What’s up?” Logan walked around the desk and leaned on the edge.
“You’ve got that dreamy look in your eyes. You’re falling for her.” He plopped into a chair.
Logan rubbed his forehead and raked his hand through his hair. “I know. This is exactly the situation I’ve been trying to avoid for God knows how long.”
Trent chuckled. “It’s about time you found a woman worth holding on to.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“Hey, man. At least I’ve had girlfriends that stuck around for a while.”
“Uh-huh.”
Trent leaned his elbows on his knees and squared his gaze on him. “How did it happen, anyway? I thought she said she didn’t want to see you anymore.”
“She ran into me while she was out jogging. Literally. I was stopped at a light, and she ran right into my car.” His smile returned as he thought about the fortunate twist of fate.
“No shit?”
“Yeah, I drove her home, and she invited me in, and…” He shrugged and grinned.
“Man, talk about your crazy coincidences.” Trent leaned back in his chair. “She was okay, though?”
“Just a few scrapes.”
“So how was she?” He leaned forward again.
Logan smiled as he thought about her silky hair, her soft skin and supple breasts. He could still feel her in his arms—her warmth, her scent. “She was beyond words, Trent. Incredible.”
“Yeah? And you said she’s an antiques dealer? That’s cool.”
“Actually, she just has an office in the antique shop.” He scratched the back of his neck and took a deep breath. “She’s a psychic.”
“A psychic?” Trent arched an eyebrow.
“She does some kind of energy clearing and healing. She’s going to school to be a therapist too.” He held his breath as he waited for his friend’s reaction.
“I don’t know much about all that psychic stuff, but if you’re cool with it.” He shrugged his approval, and Logan let out his breath.
“I am. She’s incredible.”
“You already said that. When are you going to see her again?”
Logan shook his head and looked at the floor. That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? “I don’t know.”
“You’ve got some serious issues.”
“Yeah.” He chuckled.
“Don’t wait too long or you might lose her.” Trent stood and walked to the door. “I have to get back to work. Don’t blow this, Logan. It sounds like she’s good for you.”
“I don’t know how good I am for her.”
Alone in his office again, Logan couldn’t concentrate on work. His thoughts kept drifting back to Allison. He needed to see her.
Shit.
He walked around his desk, flipped open his laptop and did a search for Reiki, the type of healing she told him she practiced. He browsed a few of the sites, soaking in the information. It was fascinating. She was fascinating. And she probably knew a lot more about his premonitions than he did.
He glanced at the clock. Was it too soon to tell her he’d made up his mind? She’d told him to take a day or two, and it had only been four hours. But four hours was all he needed.
* * *
Allison watched as the movers loaded the last auction item onto the truck. She signed the paperwork and pulled the heavy back door closed.
She walked into the showroom as the front door chimed, and her heart fluttered at the sound, just as it had done every time the door opened this morning. It was silly to hope that Logan would come back so soon, but she couldn’t help herself. She padded to the front of the store, and her hope deflated again when she saw Tina waiting by the counter.
“Hey, girl. Ready for lunch?” Her friend wore a heather gray skirt that hit her at mid-thigh and a matching jacket. Three-inch pumps completed the outfit that was a staple in Tina’s wardrobe.
Thank goodness Allison didn’t have to dress up for her occupation; she was much more comfortable in jeans and a sweater. “I’m starving, but I have to wait till Lucia gets back. She had to run some errands. Anything new and exciting in the world of Tina?” Allison curled into a nineteenth-century cigar chair, and Tina sat in the matching one next to her, crossing her legs at the ankles.
Tina sighed. “Not really. I’m showing a house at two today, but other than that, my life is dull.”
“Hardly.”
“What about you, Allie? You look good today, by the way.”
Warmth flushed her cheeks. Did she really look that different, just because she slept with a man? “Thanks. I had an interesting night.”
“Really?” Tina’s face lit up. “What happened? Wait…Don’t tell me. Let me guess…Okay. I don’t know. Just tell me.”
She laughed, and her heart skipped a beat when the door chimed again.
“Good afternoon, girls. Allison, thank you for watching the store for me.” Lucia shuffled in carrying a big, brown paper bag in her arms.
“Anytime, Lucia. We’re going to the sandwich shop on Washington. Do you want me to bring you back anything?”
Lucia waddled behind the counter to put her packages away, stacking the reels of register tape in a cabinet. “I ate while I was out. Thank you, though.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in about an hour.” She followed Tina out the door.
“Well, are you going to tell me or not?” Tina bounced with excitement.
“I saw Logan last night.”
“What?” She squealed and grabbed her by the arms. “What happened? Did you do it? Please tell me you did it. How was he? Tell me!”
“Jesus, Tina! Calm down. Let’s get our food, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
They entered the deli and walked up to the counter. Allison ordered a turkey and swiss on rye with baked chips, and Tina got her usual burger and fries.
“It was true serendipity, Tina. No, it
was fate, so I couldn’t fight it. After lunch yesterday, you know I told him I didn’t want to see him again. Oh, and I contacted a spirit for a client, but I’ll tell you about that later. So Lucia sent me home early, and I went for a run. I didn’t get past East Jefferson Avenue when I ran into Logan.”
Allison told her the story, pausing for her friend to laugh out loud.
“Oh, Allie. You must have been mortified. I know I would have been.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Obviously, you're okay. So, what happened next?”
“Well, he took me home, and then one thing led to another…”
Tina jumped in her seat, clapping her hands. “You did it! I knew it! You finally did it! How was he? Was he as good as I imagined?” Tina put her elbows on the table and leaned forward as she spoke.
Allison sunk in her chair. “Will you calm down? I don’t want the whole world to know.”
“Sorry,” Tina whispered. “I’m just so excited for you! How long has it been? Three or four years?”
“A while. And, God! I don’t know what came over me. I was an animal. I couldn’t get enough of him.”
“Four years of celibacy will turn anyone into an animal. I’m sure he enjoyed it.”
“I know I did.”
“So, I guess he wasn’t the pretentious asshole you thought he would be?”
“He was nothing like that. He was sweet and kind and real. He’s nothing like the image he portrays. He’s just an amazing guy.” She sighed and traced the patterned tablecloth with her finger.
“Oh, my God.”
“What?”
“You’re falling for him.”
She straightened her spine and crossed her arms. “No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Okay. Maybe I am. What am I going to do?” She slumped in her seat and put her hand to her temple.
“You’re going to keep seeing him.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but Tina crossed her arms. “You are. And don’t give me any crap about not wanting to get involved.”
To Catch a Spirit Page 11
